The views from Biscaia

We all recognise stunning views when we see vast expanses of blue and green stretching as far as the eye can see. So worth taking the Model S for a spin on the road from Guincho (surfers' paradise on Earth) to Sintra, so absolutely worth it.

The hazy horizon, the beach in the distance, a far-off cape, the greenery of the mountain meeting the ocean. Divine sight...

Pictures, a pale rendition of the beauty of the landscape.

He had to go to Alcorochel

Roots are roots... His grandfather gave money to build the church tower of his family birth place. He never lived there, the Tesla aficionado, but he had to go because he had to go. There was this sense he had to show me the place and he had to show the place to the Tesla-Creature living with us. We went along.

The place is Alcorochel and I'm guessing the name is some ancient linguistic legacy of the time the Iberian Peninsula was the al-Andaluz after the Moorish Invasions way, way back in the 8th century AD. The village church (seen from a distance) is probably the only landmark worthy of the name in Alcorochel but it makes for a nice Saturday outing if you want to test the impressive range of a Tesla Model S.

I confess I stress over range but looking at my happy face, no one would guess it. And no one would guess it because there simply is little cause for range anxiety when the EV in question is a Model S. Kudos to the brainiacs at Tesla for coming to the aid of a Tesla-wife and developing an EV that has the range of a conventional ICE minus the CO2 emissions!

Sunset in Santa Cruz (Portugal)

Venturing where no Tesla has ventured before, we set off to yet another nearby beach. We are sunset lovers who once drove from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon just to watch the sun go down in fiery glory behind the majestic red cliffs.

In a country facing west to the ocean, we are sure to be treated to some of the most impressive sunsets in the world. To Santa Cruz we went.

Worth every single second despite the crispness of the late afternoon ocean breeze. It's at times like these we cannot help but think that that glorious disc in the sky has always made an impact of awe in our species.

On such a lovely setting, it's also worth noticing the dawn of a new era, one of sun-loving technology so extraordinarily embodied by Tesla, whose symbol I've captured rising over the horizon like some alien spaceship coming to take us over.

Counting my blessings, how could I not be grateful for living in a country of sunset galore and for the privilege of being a first-person witness to the dawn of this new era?

Immensely grateful...

Nowhere

There was a straightfoward intention: to go and have tea in Sintra, that jewel of a town that bewitched Byron and found a pedestal as UNESCO's World Site. But, on taking the road less travelled, one needs to be open to the joys of the ride.

It was Nowhere where we found a river swollen by the rains of the last days. A bridge of manholes added to the sense that the current was strong and the river determined to make its brave way to wherever it wanted to make its brave way. We had no idea where we were.

But, on looking further, we found out that the street leading to the river and the bridge of manholes goes by the extravagant name of Street of the Half Orange. No one can say the Portuguese lack imagination for toponyms!

Eventually we got to Sintra, where the delights of local traditional pastry were waiting for us. We went for the "Travesseiros", literally cushions of puffed pastry with an egg custard filling that are simply to die for...

Utterly impossible to eat just one.

The Sign o' Times...

Respect. Silence has descended and a voice is hushed. In shock for the news and in awe of the man, a Tesla-wife pays her immense respect to a true-born Artist.

Missed. Irreplaceable. RIP.

What happens when I say "Stop!"

It takes one good dose of nerves of steel to be a Tesla-wife. Mid-way on a Saturday drive around the country and I say: "Stop! What lovely scenery". By "lovely" I, of course, imply the lush greenery of the valleys and hills that we watch from a vantage point on a winding road in a high slope. what follows is superbly illustrated below. Keep scrolling down.

 Wind turbines, a Tesla-wife and the Tesla.

Wind turbines, a Tesla-wife and the Tesla.

Wind turbines, a Tesla-wife, no Tesla and a tiny bit of scenery.

Wind turbines, a Tesla-wife, a fragment of the Tesla and some scenery. I sometimes forget that in the scenery versus geek battle, geek gets the upper hand... So much to look at and it's the wind turbines that catch his gaze (those and the Tesla).

The Backyard

They say the best things in life are free and I add they are just around the corner if we just pause to take notice of them. This is just outside our backyard. We hike there all the time and this time we decided to take the Creature as far as the road would allow. It did ok.
Perched on the top of the hill there's this very small chapel that goes by the fitting name of Our Lady of the Hill. Once every May, farmers and locals come on pilgrimage, more for the fun of tradition than anything else. They bring flowers and tractors decked with more flowers, olive and palm tree branches and go out into the fields to collect wheat ears with which to compose lovely bouquets to hang in the house for a whole year. They say it brings prosperity. But we prefer our weekend hikes when we have the fields all to ourselves.

 The views are most bucolic but, hey, this is the great outdoors and quintessential Portuguese countryside. The Model S may be a city slicker but it's getting to know its way around here.